Letter-binder.



C. E. O'NEILL. LETTER BINDER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1a, 1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

WITNESSES INVE'NTOR' jF/WMZ 62cm jffl-flzlZ 47TOR/VEY8 uouumm PLANOGRAPH C0,. WASHINGTON. n. c

CHARLES E. ONEILL, 0F BUTTE, MONTANA.

LETTER-BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1*? 1914.

Application filed May 13, 1913. Serial No. 767,289.

To alt whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Cinemas E. ONEILL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Butte, in the county of Silverbow and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Letter-Binder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to letter or package ties or binders, and has particular reference to a device of this character adapted for easy and rapid operation and also whereby it may accommodate itself readily to various sizes or thicknesses of packages.

Among the objects, therefore, of this invention, is to provide a letter binder of any suitable size which is adapted to embrace all of the sides and ends of the package and which automatically accommodates itself to the size of the package, making it easy for the binder to be manipulated for the purpose of receiving or delivering letters or other parts to or from the package.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings forming a part of this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view indicating the device in operative position; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the yoke or frame portions of the device; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device complete, the position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1.

The several parts of the device may be made of any suit-able materials, and the relative sizes and proportions of the same, as well as the general design of the device, may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

As indicated in Fig. 1, I show at 10 a yoke or frame including two side members 11, a bottom cross bar 12, and a top cross bar 13. The yoke thus constructed is preferably substantially rectangular and embraces both side edges of the package A and the cross bars engage respectively the bottom and top of such package.

At 14 I show a rib extending longitudinally and centrally along the bottom of the package. Said rib is pivoted at 15 adjacent one of its ends to the cross bar 12, and at its other end it is turned upwardly at an angle forming a hook 16. Said rib is formed preferably of wire of any suitable material and constltut/es a substantially fixed member around the eye 15 of which the yoke is adapted to rotate; that is to say, the upper or outer end 13 of the yoke, except as hereinafter stated, may be lifted and swung upwardly and rearwardly around the cross bar 12 as an axis so as to compensate for the growth of the package. .The length of the rib 14 may be made to correspond with the standard size of letters or files to be used in connection therewith. In other words, the binders made in accordance with this invention will preferably be of various sizes according to the work to be performed thereby. The rib as well as the yoke is preferably made of spring wire whereby a certain degree of resiliency or flexibility will be attained in clamping the same in position upon the package.

A flexible connection, shown in the form of a chain 17, is connected substantially at the center of the bar 13 at 18, and is adapted to cooperate with the hook 16. Another flexible connection 19 is connected at 20 to the inner end of the rib let and extends thence upwardly and forwardly along the central part of the top of the package and is connected through a coil spring 21 adjacent the point 18 of the cross bar 13. Then the chain 17 is brought into engagement with the hook 16, the parts of the yoke will be moderately flexed out of normal position, and the spring 21 will produce a reasonable amount of binding effect upon the upper and inner portions of the package, and at the same time will permit the chain 17 drawing forwardly upon the central part of the cross bar 13. It will be observed, therefore, that when the package is bound as thus shown and described, the side bars 11 of the yoke will substantially snugly embrace the side edges of the package in diagonal lines from the bottom to the top of the package, the cross bars 12 and 13 will support the package transversely, and the rib 14, together with the flexible connections 17 19 and 21, will securely bind the package longitudinally and vertically at the ends. This device, it will be noted also, is applicable regardless of the size or depth of the package, inasmuch as the yoke 10 accommodates itself automatically to the package regardless of its thickness or depth. A person holding the package in one hand may instantly unhook the chain 17 from the hook 16 and re- 7 move a letter from the package or add thereto, and the device will remain substantially in place upon being held with the same hand which holds the package. After the operation is completed, the chain may again be readily hooked in place, binding the renewed package as before.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The herein described letter binder comprising a rib, a substantially rectangular yoke pivoted at one end to said rib, and flexible connections between the ends of the rib and the other end of the yoke, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described letter binder comprising a rib having one end upturned and terminating in a hook, a substantially rectangular yoke pivoted at one end to the rib adjacent the end thereof opposite the hook,

a flexible connection extending from the op-- posite end of the yoke into cooperation with said hook, and flexible means extending from the end of the rib remote from the hook upwardly and forwardly to the outer end of the yoke adjacent the point of connection of said first-mentioned flexible connection.

3. The herein described letter binder comprising a substantially rectangular spring wire yoke, a rib pivotally connected adjacent one end to one end of the yoke, the other end of the rib being provided with a hook, a chain connected to the opposite end of the yoke and adapted to cooperate with said hook, and flexible means extending from said chain rearwardly and downwardly and connected to the first-mentioned end of the rib, said flexible means including a spring, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. ONEILL.

Vitnesses O. H. BooHnR, HENRY L. LINDLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

